Harassment laws to protect prospective MPs

MPs of all parties have spoken out over death threats and hate-filled abuse on social mediaALAMY

New laws could be introduced to protect parliamentary candidates from being harassed on the campaign trail, Theresa May will announce today.

The prime minister is to begin a consultation on a new offence in electoral law of intimidating parliamentary candidates and their campaigners, as part of a crackdown on those who abuse public figures.

She will also set out plans to bring forward legislation to remove the requirement for candidates standing as councillors in local elections to have their addresses published on ballot papers.

May commissioned an inquiry into the intimidation of parliamentary candidates in July after MPs of all parties spoke out over death threats and hate-filled abuse on social media during the general election campaign.

The report, published last December, warned that female,…

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